The spectrum between the channels will become available after Feb. 17 when broadcasters make the switch to digital broadcasting. The FCC began testing white spaces devices with mixed results in January using a prototype device supplied by Microsoft. In July, the FCC tested prototypes built by Philips and Motorola as well as Silicon Valley start-up Adaptrum and Singapore-based Institute for Infocomm Research.

“It worked as well as we said it would,” said Steve Sharkey, Motorola’s senior director of regulatory and spectrum policy. “It went really well.”

Motorola’s device was the only one using both geolocation and sensing technologies, while devices from Philips, Adaptrum and InfoComm relied only on sensing to detect existing TV channels. Motorola primarily relied on combining geolocation with an FCC database of channels to find spectrum in the white spaces that would not interfere with existing TV channels.

“That was one of the key things for us,” Sharkey said. “It knows what’s in the area and what channels to use and picks out the best channel. From our point of view, geolocation has to be part of the solution.”

The testing was conducted in a variety of conditions including a regional park in the Washington-Baltimore area, BWI Airport, downtown Washington and Ellicott City, Md.

Motorola will not be involved in the next stage of outdoors testing, when the FCC begins testing for interference with wireless microphones.

When the FCC concludes the outdoors testing, the agency will then prepare a report and make overall recommendations on the use of white spaces devices. If the FCC supports the use of white spaces, device makers like Motorola could start manufacturing technology for laptops, smart phones, PDAs and set-top boxes that can utilize the white spaces. All of the devices would have to be certified by the FCC.

“It’s really ideal spectrum for rural broadband and we see uses in land-mobile applications,” Sharkey said. “We view white spaces as somewhat similar to Wi-Fi. When it was first approved for use, no one knew all the applications, devices and form factors that would evolve.”

Opposition to the use of white spaces is led not only by sports leagues but also the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters), which fears interference, and some lawmakers who want the white spaces spectrum to be auctioned off the highest bidder.

According to Mark Brunner, PR director at Shure, “The FCC’s tests of prototype white space devices at FedEx field prior to Saturday’s game between the Redskins and the Bills conclusively show that spectrum sensing white space devices will cause harmful interference to wireless microphones during live events. Simply stated, the prototype devices were unable to consistently identify operating wireless microphones or distinguish occupied from unoccupied TV channels. The devices failed to detect the presence of wireless microphones when switched on – an occurrence that takes place multiple times during any NFL game”.